Virgil van Dijk Player Thread (D)

Been a great player for us but is defo in a decline. 32 this year personally I would sell whilst there’s a bit of value this summer.

Not the player he was, need to be ruthless and not sentimental. It’s about what’s happening now not what he done on the past.

At this rate people will have us selling everyone

At this rate people will have us selling everyone

Tbh we do need a squad overhaul. We are an old squad one of the oldest in the premier league I do believe.
Virgil isn’t going to get any better. However with better players in front of him he’ll still be a top quality defender, but with his age he ain’t going to be playing  week in week out after next season.

I honestly don't see what's the point of singling out players anymore. I can see the emotional incentive to do so, but I think we are way past the point where we look at this as something caused by 3 or 4 players, even if we let our emotions run loose. Except for 2 or 3 lads, the whole team has been playing like sh*t with incredible consistency ever since the season started. 

It's a season to forget. Regroup, spend big in the summer to get the players we need, let go of those we don't need and go again next season. No point in trying to single out one or two players after each game as if we were playing good football only for them to ruin it.

Nobody on the pitch, today, deserves more than 5/10 at most. The dog didn't eat the homework, the homework was simply never done to start with.

Not buying the "Virgil is past it" stuff. He has lost a bit of pace, but is still not slow and still has all the ability to be a great CB. There's been loads of great CBs who are a lot slower (think Thiago Silva the last few years).

His problem is loss of form plus complacency. His non-marking of Jesus for their 2nd yesterday being a case in point. Nothing to do with speed etc, just switching off and leaving it to Robbo race in and try to cover their only player in the box. He's been doing things like that all season. He needs a combination of time to get back into form plus some competition for his place.

Not buying the "Virgil is past it" stuff. He has lost a bit of pace, but is still not slow and still has all the ability to be a great CB. There's been loads of great CBs who are a lot slower (think Thiago Silva the last few years).

His problem is loss of form plus complacency. His non-marking of Jesus for their 2nd yesterday being a case in point. Nothing to do with speed etc, just switching off and leaving it to Robbo race in and try to cover their only player in the box. He's been doing things like that all season. He needs a combination of time to get back into form plus some competition for his place.

To be reasonable, this is what most fans think, they don't think he's past it just like he's acting too cool or whatever, he should be a beast in that box, the laid back Dutch thing can stop and real defending can happen, because he's not at the game for large parts of games this season.
He should be an assassin in that box and defend his amazing goalkeepers goal, just basic stuff.

More passion please Virgil, I hate to think that tw*t of a goalie wrecked your career, I don't think that happened, he isn't wrecked but he's got that Dutch lets act cool thing. no flap and flounder, last ditch everything ever to stop goals, that needs to happen many times in this fast paced league.

His drop off this season only worse by Fabinho.

If our team (midfield and FBs) keeps on exposing our central defenders and leaving them isolated, Virgil will continue to look like he’s struggling. Konate has the pace to recover but Virgil seems to have lost his. Cheers Prickford.

He also spends a lot of time checking up on the rest of our defensive personnel/shape when opponents attack instead of focusing on his position/marking/tracking runners.
I think he looks like a man who’s anxious about the defensive set up that he leads.

Teams have found that they can expose us with quick long passes behind the full backs and that their target men can ghost into the box unhindered, which is what happened yesterday with Kane/Son.

Apart from trying to keep a high line offside trap, We only seem to start thinking about defending when we’re turned to face our own goal. Virgil’s skillset isnt suited to that. 

If our team (midfield and FBs) keeps on exposing our central defenders and leaving them isolated, Virgil will continue to look like he’s struggling. Konate has the pace to recover but Virgil seems to have lost his. Cheers Prickford.

Still cannot believe that tw*t didn’t even get booked for that potential career ending tackle on our man.